The case for war against Iraq?

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday February 21, 2003 21:33 by kokomero

Defining democracy or the lack of it

Democratic states do not mistreat their citizens and deprive them of their rights.

They do not invade neighbouring states and annex their territory and ethnically cleanse it, or threaten them directly or otherwise with nuclear weapons.

They do not assassinate their opponents, rather they bring them to justice and subject them to the due process of law.

Democtaric states do subject themselves to the will of the international community of states by respecting international law and making peace with their neighbours, especially where they can do so from a position of economic or military strength.

There are no shortcuts in a democracy appealing as it might appear in the short term, in the long term what they seek to preserve through these means is itself diminished.

Think I'm talking about Iraq ... what about Israel? The above also to a lesser extent to the pro-war coallition.